Windmill



(No Model.)

, L. S. FLETCHER.

WINDMILL.

No. 427,064. Patented May 6, 18.90.

UNITED STATES PAT NT I @FFICE.

LOUIS S. FLETCHER, OF BLUE SPRINGS, NEBRASKA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,064, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed January 21, 1889. Serial No. 297,062. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Louis S. FLETCHER, of Blue Springs, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and the construction of the device.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a windmill as is necessary to illustrate this invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 00 :0, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail plan of the rear portion of frame, showing vane-controlling gear. Fig. 4 is a front view of the frame of the machine, showing boxes with closed sides.

The numeral 1 indicates the trestle or support of a windmill, which trestle has a central tube 2, for the passage of the pitman 3 and the vane-controlling rod 4, and the windmill-frame 5 is swiveled on this central metallic tube or pipe. The frame 5 is a single casting having upright bars 6, 7, and 8, top bar 9, and bottom bar 10, which contains a socket for the end of pipe 2. The bars 6 and 7 have boxes 12 and 13, closed at their sides and lined with wooden pieces 14, which form bearings for wind-wheel shaft 15 and counter-shaft 16. The fans are attached to shaft 15 in any usual manner. The gear 17 is fixed to shaft 15 and engages with gear 18, which is attached to and drives the counter-shaft. A face-plate 21 on the counter-shaft carries a wrist pin or hook, with which the hooked end of pitman 3 engages.

The shaft-boxes being solid and integral with the frame, there are no caps to get loose. The wooden bearings are cheap and can be easily replaced, and serve excellently for outdoor use.

A brake-shoe 23 is pivoted to the frame at 24, and is held back out of contact with faceplate 21 by a weight 26, which is on a rigid arm of the brake-shoe. A pull on lever 25, to which a cord or wire may be attached, will bring the brake-shoe into contact with the rim of the face-plate, thus holding said plate by frictional contact.

. The bars 9 and 10 project behind the upright bar 8, and the vane is pivoted on a rod or bolt 31 between said bars. An arm 32 on said vane projects a little way at the side of the pivot.

A three-armed lever A is pivoted to the frame 5. This lever has an arm 33, to which a weight 34 is attached, an arm 35, to which a draw rod or cord 36 is attached, and an arm 37, which is connected byarigid link 38 to arm 32 of the vane. A pull on rod or wire 36 will rock the three-armed lever A on its pivot, lift weight 34, and by means oflink 38 will swing the arm 32, and therefore the vane, to one side about the pivot 31. When the pull is released from rod 36, the vane will be restored to position in line with the frame 5.

The rod or wire 36 may be attached to a lever 40, pivoted at any suitable point near the base of the trestle, and this lever may be held down in any suitable manner to hold the vane out of line with the frame and shafts, whereby the fans will not be presented with their faces to the wind.

I'Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A windmill-frame consisting of a single metallic casting having vertical bars provided with shaft-boxes closed at their sides, each box having wooden bearings for the shaft, said boxes being open at their ends only.

2. A windmill-frame consisting of a single metallic casting having top and bottom bars and three vertical bars, two of the vertical bars having boxes for a shaft and counter-shaft,

the bearings being of wood and aligned, so as to give a double support to the shaft and counter-shaft and have a place for the gears between said uprights, combined with a metallic tube, on which said frame is swiveled, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS S. FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

1). A. KNIGHT, IRWIN B. WISEY. 

